Diocese celebrates the Canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati at Sacred Heart Church

The diocese joyfully celebrated the long-anticipated Canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis (L) and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (R) at Sacred Heart Church in Rancho Cucamonga from Sept. 4-7. The festivities began on Sept. 4 with a Holy Hour with the relics of St. Bernardine of Siena and Blessed Carlo Acutis. The relic of St. Bernardine of Siena, who is the Patron Saint of the Diocese, was recently acquired by Bishop Alberto Rojas during a March Jubilee pilgrimage to Rome. The Blessed Carlo Acutis relic was acquired by a former Diocesan Young Catholics Layminster during an August 2023 pilgrimage for World Youth Day. A major highlight of the canonization commemoration was a bilingual Mass celebrated by Bishop Rojas on Sept. 5. The parish also hosted Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from 8:30 am on Sept. 5 through 6:30 am on Sunday, Sept. 7. The parish correspondingly kept the relics of St. Bernardine of Sienna and Blessed/St. Carlo Acutis available for Veneration from 7:30 am on Sept. 5 from through 7:30 pm on Sept. 7. The celebrations culminated on Sept. 7 with a livestream watch party of Pope Leo XIV canonizing the two young Catholic Saints in Rome at 2 am Pacific Standard Time (PST) inside Sacred Heart Church.